HB 726 Correctional and juvenile correctional facilities; use of canines, prohibited acts

About HB-726

Use of canines in correctional and juvenile correctional facilities; prohibited acts. Provides that it is unlawful for any correctional officer or other employee of a state correctional facility or juvenile correctional facility who is permitted to handle canines to use a canine to (i) extract a prisoner from his cell or (ii) intervene in an altercation, fight, or other incident between three or fewer prisoners. The bill provides that the Department of Corrections and the Department of Juvenile Justice shall make public any policies and regulations relating to (a) the use of canines, (b) training requirements for both canines and the handlers of such canines, and (c) the supervision of the officers or employees who are permitted to handle such canines. The bill requires the Department of Corrections and the Department of Juvenile Justice to track all canine uses of force and all incidents in which canines were present or requested for assistance but no canine use of force occurred and to make such information available on the Departments' websites.